Improvement in straw-cutters



L. M. JOHNSON.

Improvement in Straw-Cutters. N0. 128,046. Patent edJune18,1872.

luv 6 1'0? warns LEVI M. JOHNSON, OF HILLSBOROUGH, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN STRAW-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,046, dated June 18, 1872.

T 0 all about it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI M. JoHNsoN, of Hillsborough, in the county of Highland and State of Ohio, have invented sundry new and useful Improvements in Straw-Gutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and clear description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,'which form a portion of this specification- Figures 1 and 2 being views of opposite sides of my improved straw-cutter.

Similar letters indicate the same parts in the drawing.

The frame and cutter-box of my improved straw-cutter are of the usual shape and proportions, and may be constructed of any suitable materials and in any suitable manner.

The feeding-rollers a a are placed at a considerablygreater distance than usual from the front end of the cutter-box, as shown in the drawing. A vibrating pressure-plate, b,

which is pivoted to the sides of the cutterbox, and whose front end extends nearly to the front end of the same, receives the straw or hayfrom the feeding-rollers, and guides it nearly to the edge of the stationary cutter c, where it compressingly holds the same in close proximity to the action thereupon of the reciprocating cutter e. The reciprocating cutter 6 is secured in an inclined position within the gate 61 d (1 61 which is combined with and works upon the ways h h, which are bolted to the front ends of the sides of the cutter-box. The cutter-gate d d d d is connected to the crank in the central portion of the shaft 0) by means of the pitman f. The crankshaft '17 is geared to the main driving-shaft r by means of the pinion a on the former and the toothed wheel t on the latter shaft, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Motion may be imparted to the main shaft r by means of the treadle-lever a; and the pitman to, Fig. 1, which connects said treadle-lever with a central crank, r, in said main shaft. The balance-wheel s is secured to one end ofthe shaft 1".

Motion is communicated from the cuttergate d (Z d d to the feeding-rollers a a in the following mannerviz.: A curved bar, k, of the shape shown in Fig. 1, is suspended to the right-hand side of my improved strawcutter, in the position shown in said drawing, the after end of said bar being received into the eye of the eye-bolt l, and the forward end of said bar being suspended by the freelyvibrating pendent-supportj, as also shown in Fig. 1. The pawl n, whose curved outer end takes into the teeth of the ratchet-wheel p on the shaft of the upper feeding-roller a, is jointed to the after portion of the bar 70, while the overbalanced or weighted pawl 'n, whose teeth take into the teeth of the ratchet-wheel p, on the shaft of the lower roller a, is jointed to the curved portion of the sliding bar It. The spring m, which incloses the portion of bar It between eye 1 and the jointed connection therewith of the pawl n, imparts an elastic forward pressure to the said bar, and, consequently, a roller in the front end of that bar is pressed continuously against the rear surface of the side d of the cutter-gate by the action of said spring. As the cuttergate is moved upward the inclined offset 6, projecting rearward from the lower portion of the side d of said gate, imparts a sufficient rearward movement to the bar It to cause the pawls p p, which are jointed thereto, to impart the requisite degree of movement to the feeding-rollers a a, or such a degree of movement as will cause the reaction imparted to said bar by the spring on to carry the actuating ends of said pawls over the ratchet-teeth of the wheels 19 1) into the proper position for the next action thereupon by the next upward movement of the cutter-gate.

The springs q q q g on opposite sides of the straw-cutter, acting in conjunction with the bearings, s, Fig. 2, enable the upper feeding-roller a to adapt itself to any variation in the feeding of the straw or hay to the cutters of the machine.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination of the reciprocating bar 70 with the eyebolt l, the pendulous supporter j, the spring m, and the actuating side d of 12 p, the pawls n n, the pendulously-supportstraw-cutters, I hereunto subscribe my name ed and reciprocating bar k, the spring m, and this 26th day of February, 1872.

the actuating side d of the cutter-gate, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony that the aforegoing is a, full and exact description of my improvement in LEVI M. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

WM. H. WoonRow, G. '1. Porn. 

